My Eye Won't Quit Tearing Up!

Updated on
January 03, 2012

B.S.
asks from
Kansas City, MO
on April 23, 2007

14
answers

Anyone ever heard of this or had it? I dont' think it's allergies because it doesn't itch and it's not red or irritated. It's just that my eye keeps producing tears for no apparent reason. It started about 3 days ago, I'll just be sitting there on the couch and a tear will run down my face! It doesn't hurt or anything, but it's getting annoying. Please tell me if you've had this before or know what it is. I don't wanna waste money going to the doc for something so small.

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So What Happened?

Well thanks for the advice so far! I wonder if it might be a clogged duct, can you get that from having a bad sinus cold? I was REALLY sick a couple weeks ago and my whole head was totally clogged up, sinuses stuffed (couldn't smell anything, ears kept popping, and of course stuffy nose). I wonder if that might have something to do with it. I haven't changed my makeup or skincare routine, at least not yet! I'm getting ready to try a new acne system but haven't started it yet. I figure if it's allergies I'd be having this problem in both eyes, not just one.

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A.A.

answers from
Oklahoma City
on
April 25, 2007

The same thing happened to me a week ago and I thought the same thing about the allergies and it lasted for about 5 days. I couldn't wear make-up or anything and this past Monday I woke up with a sore throat, itchy (not watery) eyes and serious cough. I stayed at home for 2 days i feel better now but I still have a mild cough.

Anyway, I did not go to the doctor I just loaded up with allergy and sinus medication.

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B.M.

answers from
Oklahoma City
on
April 25, 2007

Ok I know this is going to sound strange but it sounds like to me your eye is dry. I worked as an ophthalmic assistant for 3 yrs and an optometric assistant for 5... so needless to say I have some experience with this type of stuff. Your eye produces 2 types of tears..oily ones that stick around all the time and crying tears. When your eye doesn't produce enough oily tears it over produces crying tears. I would normally tell patients that complain of this to use over the counter artificial tears...such as refresh tears. Do not use anything that says "gets the red out" because they constrict blood vessels. If the tears dont work you might need to go ahead and make an appointment with an eye doctor and have it checked out. Good luck with it.

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J.N.

answers from
Kansas City
on
April 24, 2007

Try getting a warm soft washcloth and massaging about every hour for about 10-15 mintues for the next week. When my son was born his little tear duct was clogged so it made is eye run and get crusty but thats what were instructed to do from the doctor and after several weeks it went away. If you experience redness or itching and burning in the eye I would go to the eye doctor and have it checked out. Could be pink eye. Try to avoid eye makeup til you get it cleared up.

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K.G.

answers from
Topeka
on
April 25, 2007

it might be a blocked tear duct. and to help get rid of it all you need to do is wet a cotton ball with water and gently massage corner of your eye several times a day. babies get them all the time and that seems to clear it up. hope it helps,

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B.V.

answers from
San Francisco
on
January 03, 2012

Yeah it happens to me all the time I have "seasonal allergies they call it but it last all creaking year long try to wash your eyes with cold water really good at least twice a day it helps me a bit and if you put lotion on try not to get it near your eyes ..!!

Updated

Yeah it happens to me all the time I have "seasonal allergies they call it but it last all creaking year long try to wash your eyes with cold water really good at least twice a day it helps me a bit and if you put lotion on try not to get it near your eyes ..!!

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C.O.

answers from
Lawton
on
April 25, 2007

My little boy was born with a blocked tear duct and his tears wouldn't drain in one eye. You can "massage" it, but unfortunately this didn't work for him and we had to do surgery. I'm sure it would for you though since you weren't born with the condition. You can go on the net and look up blocked tear duct or nasolacrimal system and should be able to find some information. Hint: Press down really hard when massaging or it won't work. Good luck!

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L.

answers from
Oklahoma City
on
April 26, 2007

I'm an optometrist. Clogged tear ducts in adults are less common. Usually they occur after an infection or something that would cause an obstruction. Something is irritating that eye causing the "tearing reflex" to make you eye water. It could be an allergic reaction to something (although usually your eye itches), it could be dry eyes (the ophthalmic technician that responded is right), you could have an eye infection starting, or you could have something in the eye.

I recommend flushing the eye out with several drops of artificial tears or saline a few times a day. Also, cleanse the eyelid where your eyelashes grow out- scrub it with soap and water on a washcloth- to wash away any irritants building up.

If this improves after a day or two, continue treating it for a week. If it doesn't, see an eye doctor to find out what is going on.

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W.B.

answers from
Kansas City
on
April 23, 2007

Hi B.,
It might be an eye infection. Or is it possible that you got something in your eye or scratched it with something. I don't have anymore ideas other than this, sorry. You should probably make an eye appointment with doctor. Hope you find out whats wrong, W.

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E.Y.

answers from
Topeka
on
April 25, 2007

My eye does this on occasion for seemingly no reason. I hate it because mu husband will ask me what's wrong and when I tell him nothing, he says that he can see me crying. I'm not crying! LOL! I chalk it up to allergies or excessive tear build up, I really don't think it's a problme except that it's annoying and always seems to happen when my make up is perfect! I don't know what to tell you to fix it, since it's just something I've learned to live with.

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J.T.

answers from
Topeka
on
April 24, 2007

I do think it might be your allergies, my youngest daughter does that and the doctor said that it is her allergies. Allergies dont neccessarily cause red dry itchy eyes, but they can cause them to water.

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H.L.

answers from
Atlanta
on
August 13, 2010

I have problems with the tear duct in my right eye clogging and can tell you some things I have tried. I have to go to the eye doctor periodically to have my tear duct flushed out. The procedure does not hurt at all. The doctor puts a small metal probe into the tear sac to open it a bit and then flushes a syringe (blunt tip, not a needle type) full of saline solution through the tear duct. Usually, there is an obstruction so the saline solution just shoots out through the upper tear hole (there is an upper tear drainage hole and the lower tear drainage sac) and the nurse has to then press a cotton tipped swab against the upper hole to close it off and force the solution to go out through the lower tear sac and through the duct into my nose like it's supposed to do. I can always tell when the obstruction dislodges because the saline solution runs into my nose and throat. Lately, I have had to take oral antibiotics to clear up the infection caused from my tears not draining and the medication has helped tremendously. (Antibiotic eyedrops did not help.) The doctor suggested surgery to have a new tear canal cut through my nose bypassing the area that gets clogged. I prefer not to do that yet. I just found some great at home remedies on ehow.com that I am going to try. I use baby shampoo to wash my eyelids every day--not soap like another person suggested you use--ouch! I have just started doing a massage where I press down gently from the tear sac at the inside corner of the eye to the outside of the nostril. I do this about 10 times to help dislodge the obstruction. Other suggestions are to dip a washcloth in warm salty water and lay it on the tear sac area for about 10 minutes several times daily if you have time. They also suggest peeling a cucumber and putting the shavings on the tear sac for 10 minutes several times a day. I haven't tried these last two, but I've read the suggestions before. BTW, a sinus infection can absolutely cause your tear canal to get blocked. One last thing I do to keep my sinuses clean is to use the Nasaline Irrigator every day to flush my sinuses. It is similar to a neti pot but easier to use. Hope some of these suggestions help because I know how annoying it is to have this problem.

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J.N.

answers from
Kansas City
on
April 24, 2007

B.,

This is going to sound strange, but I have the same problem when I use certain types of make-up. Some mascara and eye shadows will make my eyes tear. I also have to be carefull with the types of face lotions I use. Anything that has fumes or is strongly scented can cause tearing. If you have changed anything about your skin care routine or makeup recently I would stop using it for a while. Some women also become sensitive to red dyes and mica in eye shadow. These can cause eyes to water as well. Good luck,

J.

PS. - If the eye watering is accompanied by rapid or uncontrolled blinking you need to go to a doctor ASAP.

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D.T.

answers from
Tulsa
on
April 24, 2007

I would suspect a blocked duct too. The moisture in your eye is a constant washing motion like a bunch of little streams flowing into a pool before passing through the outlet at the other end. If the outlet is blocked then the "water" had got to go somewhere.

That's not to say it's not something environmental too. Sorry, maybe it's time to go see the doctor

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A.A.

answers from
Oklahoma City
on
April 25, 2007

The same thing happened to me a week ago and I thought the same thing about the allergies and it lasted for about 5 days. I couldn't wear make-up or anything and this past Monday I woke up with a sore throat, itchy (not watery) eyes and serious cough. I stayed at home for 2 days i feel better now but I still have a mild cough.

Anyway, I did not go to the doctor I just loaded up with allergy and sinus medication.

Report This

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S.H.

answers from
Kansas City
on
April 23, 2007

My mom had something like this, and it turned out the duct from her eye that leads down into her sinuses was blocked. Don't know if that's the case for you, but if it doesn't go away, you may want to go see your doctor ... could develop into an infection if that duct doesn't get cleared.